Newish 20 gallon aquarium and 5 gallon betta tank

[lejin2]

Hi! I have a 20 gallon aquarium that has 6 cherry barbs, 2 dalmation mollies, and some ghost shrimp. I also have a 5 gallon betta tank. Both tanks are about 3 weeks old and still cycling under my VERY vigilant eye and water change schedule.

 

[Homer114]

Very nice tanks

 

[cgthebeast]

Very nice tanks, as you said, keep a close eye on them cycling, espically with inverts

 

[lejin2]

Thanks! Question about the shrimp though. I've had some of the original ones die/ get eaten (the betta when housed with shrimp DID NOT like them). I try to fish out the ... Corpses or parts of them as soon as I see them, but sometimes I don't catch them for a bit, especially with all the hides and plants. How much ammonia will the dead ones release? I do fish counts 2x a day and so far everyone is doing really well, but it's hard to find the shrimp all the time.

Also, I did a 15% water change today and the ammonia was 0.5ppm and 4ppm nitrates. This was the first time I have ever shown nitrates, so good, but I have never had ANY nitrites. So how did that happen? Should I retest?

(And FYI my tap water has naturally .25 or so ppm ammonia in it).

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Homer114]

Sometimes the beeta will just kill just make sure when u see a dead one take it out it won't be a massive problem

 

[cgthebeast]

The dead shrimp shouldn't be that much o a problem though make sure there dead and that they didn't molt. Shrimp need to eat the exoskeleton if they do molt